Chapter 2: Top Idol, Kim Haram

I had to spend a good while pressing my temples, desperately trying to push away the headache.

Fifteen billion dollars?
What kind of nonsense is that?

I’d never even touched that kind of money—not in dollars, not even in Korean won.

Suddenly, I remembered something I’d seen on a forum just before heading to the airport.

[Image: The highest lottery winner in history.jpg]

“Shit. I really did hit every flag.”

So that was foreshadowing.

I mean, who would’ve thought my life would ever get foreshadowed?

I sat there stunned, blankly staring into space. Then a thought popped into my head—I needed to check a mirror.

Moving these unfamiliar arms and legs, I twisted my body and got up from the bed.

“Whoa—?”

What the hell? Why’s it taking me so long just to stand?

The sudden height shift made me wobble. How tall was Kim Haram again? I’d been pretty short before…

I shuffled over and stood in front of the mirror. The face staring back at me—familiar, but only as someone else’s.

“Yup. That’s Kim Haram all right…”

Whew. I let out a sigh without thinking.

What the hell am I supposed to do now…

“…And why is this room such a dump?”

As I looked around, I realized—this was not the kind of room you’d expect a popular idol to be living in.

The building itself seemed ancient. The wallpaper was yellowed and peeling, and in some places the damp had made it bubble and crack. My eyes scanned the room until they landed on the window—and before I knew it, I let out an involuntary,

“Huh?”

“What the—? This is a semi-basement?”

I turned on the phone again to check the date.

Confirmed. It was summer—two years in the past from where I originally came from. About a year had passed since Kim Haram’s time in Clover had ended.

“Even if their career lasted less than two years, with popularity like that… this is the treatment he got?”

From the fact that the bed was a bunk bed, it seemed like he had a roommate too.

Tch.

I couldn’t make sense of the situation no matter how hard I tried. But based on my vast experience, in a situation like this… the best thing to rely on was—

“I know you’re watching. Come out.”

Just then—pop!—the familiar system window appeared.

[…To think you sensed my presence. Impressive.]

…Why are you actually responding? This is ridiculous.

[Hello, Seo Jimin-nim. Before we begin the official quest, we thank you once again for agreeing to proceed.]

Watching the system window shamelessly go about its business made me even more speechless.
Honestly, this might not even be a system.

“You’re going to say there’s no point arguing about how I never agreed to any of this, right?”

[Once a contract is in motion, it is difficult to reverse.]

Of course. How very convenient.

No point dragging this out now. It’d just be a waste of time. I sighed and sat back down on the edge of the bed.

“…Okay, then let’s start by sorting out the situation.”

As if waiting for that cue, the system window expanded dramatically.

[Main Quest – A Second Chance for a Washed-Up Idol]

[You have possessed Kim Haram approximately two and a half years prior to the date of his unjust death.]

Yeah, that much I figured.

“Why this specific point in time, though?”

[This point in time has been designated as the quest’s starting point. The starting point corresponds to the moment that set off the chain of events leading to Kim Haram’s death.]

The moment that set things off? Looking at Kim Haram’s life right now, the only major change I could think of…

Naturally, my gaze drifted to the paper still clenched tightly in my left hand.

That’s it. The lottery.

“This? The lottery winnings?”

[…For the sake of fair quest progression, we cannot disclose that information.]

Yeah, right. It’s totally the lottery.

You’re practically spelling it out. Still gripping the paper in my left hand, I slowly uncurled my fingers.

1.5 billion dollars. Maybe because it was in dollars, it just didn’t feel real. I had no actual sense of how massive that kind of money really was.

Wait—hold on. Then where’s the prize money now?

I assumed it’d been deposited safely in a bank or something, but just to be sure, I started carefully examining the claim ticket.

Just in case it mentioned where to collect the prize…

“Hyung, you still asleep? Huh?”

The door suddenly burst open, and someone came into the room.

“Hyung, what are you doing?”

Instinct kicked in—I had to hide the lottery ticket.
Without thinking, I dropped back onto the bed and pretended to be asleep.

God. Embarrassing.
Even if nothing else gave me away, I was definitely caught pretending to sleep right after sitting upright just fine.

This was the perfect timing for another character to make their entrance, and I’d just botched it.
Shame.

Feeling my ears burn slightly, I coughed and awkwardly pushed myself back up from the bed.
He’d called me hyung, right?

“Hm, huh? Oh, nothing… Just chilling.”

I cautiously turned to face the unexpected guest.

And in that moment—I couldn’t help but let out a tiny breath of admiration inside.

He’s cute…

A boy with soft, golden blond hair tinged with a warm yellow glow stood there.
Looked like he was in high school?

Still young enough to have a baby face, but with a look that hinted at great potential.

Though… there was something a little scruffy and neglected about him. Do they not feed kids properly these days?

“Um, do I look weird or something?”

He shifted back slightly, clearly uncomfortable under my gaze.

“Ah. No, not at all. You’re… you look great.”

Ugh, great? Really? Without any info on the kid, I couldn’t come up with anything that sounded natural.

And then—Pop!

A new status window floated up beside the cute blond kid.

[<Character Information>]

Name: Choi Woojin
Age: 17
Position: Sub-vocal
Traits: – I’m the Center (Rare, Active)
– Maknae on Top (Rare, Inactive)

[View detailed stats and information]

Judging from the traits, this kid was probably the youngest member of the idol group Kim Haram was set to debut with.

Well, I guess now it’s my group.

“Hyung…?”

Choi Woojin waved his hand in front of my face.

Somewhere between zoning out and reading the status window, he’d gotten right up close.
This time, I flinched and leaned back instinctively.

“Hyung, are you not feeling well? Should I tell the others you’re skipping practice today?”

His voice was cautious, but filled with genuine concern.

Wait—practice?

“You’re on your way to practice right now?”

“Yeah. The other hyungs are already at the studio.”

Crap. That’s not good. Even if I followed him over, there’s no way I could just… wing it. I’d never actually danced before—only watched.

That means…

“Yeah, I’m not feeling too great today. Could you let the others know I’m taking the day off?”

Dodging it for now seemed like the smartest move.

Once I figured out more, the system would surely give me some way to overcome this.

I glanced again at the system window still floating by Woojin’s side.

Huh. The text looked slightly… right-aligned?

Was that a hint?

Hey, system—do you maybe have some kind of workaround for this?

Before I could even finish my thought, the text began shifting completely to the right side of the window.

The system is watching my reactions? Seriously…?

“Okay. I’ll let the manager know too.”

Just as I was about to blow up from frustration, Choi Woojin’s calm response reeled me back in.

“Yeah, thanks, Woojin-ah. Do well in practice.”

Woojin turned to leave, then hesitated mid-step and glanced back at me.

“But… what was that thing you tried to hide earlier?”

Knew it. He saw.

“Uh—ah, it’s nothing. Just a lotto ticket I bought last week. I won like… five thousand won. Haha.”

Every fiber of my being screamed one thing: Hide this. No matter what, just hide it—for now.

There had to be a reason why no winner had ever been revealed even two years later.

Woojin’s expression instantly darkened at my words.

“…Hyung, you’re still buying lottery tickets, huh…”

What the heck? All I said was that I bought a lottery ticket—why the intense reaction?

“…I’m sorry. I’ll be going now.”

“…Huh?”

What’s there to be sorry about?

With that strange, heavy note, Woojin left the room.

Something was definitely off there.
There’s a story behind this, no doubt.

Anyway, first things first—time to tackle the most urgent issue.

“System. Show yourself.”

[Yes. I’m here.]

Tsszzk.

I narrowed my eyes and glared at the floating system window.

“You have a way, right? To overcome this—whether it’s dancing or singing?”

The system window, now empty, flickered with text that appeared and disappeared repeatedly.

Ugh. Frustrating.

“If there’s nothing, just say so.”

[This service is currently in preparation.]

Well, at least it’s honest. That’s better.

“Then have it ready by tomorrow. No later.”

I couldn’t keep skipping practice forever using “bad condition” as an excuse. I needed a solution—and fast.

Sure, a day felt like short notice, but come on, if I wanted the final version by the day after tomorrow, the deadline had to be tomorrow.

I knew how this kind of thing worked—been there, done that.

The system window stayed silent for a beat.

“Answer me.”

[Yes. Understood.]

Good.

I let out a deep sigh and collapsed onto the bed.

I’d pushed the system to get moving, but truthfully? I had no idea what I was supposed to do now.
This was the first time I’d ever actually possessed someone, after all.

Out of sheer habit, my hand reached for the smartphone nearby and unlocked it without thinking.
Honestly, I had a feeling that system wasn’t going to be all that useful. Checking the phone might help more at this point.

Tapping around and checking out the installed apps, one caught my eye—a money transfer service.

Well, it’s only human to be curious about this stuff, right?

Even if it was just a project group, Kim Haram had been a top-tier idol for a while. Just how much money did he rack up?

I mean, I have to track down the lottery winnings too. And it’s my money now—who’s gonna complain if I take a little peek?

I opened the banking app and held my fingerprint on the scanner to load the linked account information.

“…Huh? What the hell is this?”

There were three linked accounts.

Total balance: 230,929 won.

What the hell is going on here? An SSS-class idol with only 230,000 won in the bank?

“Maybe… there’s another account somewhere?”

But that theory didn’t hold up—the accounts were neatly labeled: Everyday Use, Savings, Emergency Fund.
They were clearly organized, each with its own nickname.

Sure, maybe he wasn’t the most popular member… but is this really all he got after settlements?

Maybe he’d handed over complete financial control to his parents?

…And judging from the condition of this dorm, that unsettling vibe still wouldn’t go away.

What about the lottery money? Where did that go?

As my thoughts spiraled deeper, my headache threatened to return.

Beep beep beep—beep-doo-doot.

Someone was unlocking the front door from beyond the room.

“Haram, you in there?”

Oh, great. Now who is it.

I barely had time to hide the phone when a man strode confidently into the room.

“There you are. You said you weren’t feeling well—are you okay?”

[<Character Info>]

Name: Woo Taeyoon
Age: 35
Position: Planning Director, General Manager
Traits: -Excellent Planner (Rare, Active)
-Ambitious (Common, Inactive)

[View detailed stats and information (Open)]

This time—pop!—a status window popped up right next to the man.

Looks like it’s getting a little quicker on the uptake.

Is this the “Director” Choi Woojin mentioned? The name displayed in the status window felt strangely familiar.

Weird. Feels even more familiar than Choi Woojin’s.

“Yes. I’m okay.”

Director Woo Taeyoon scratched the back of his head awkwardly and slowly walked toward me.

“That’s a relief. And, uh, Haram… the CEO wants to see you for a moment…”

“The CEO?”

Who drags out a sick person just to “talk”?

Woo Taeyoon’s face was full of guilt as he spoke.

“Yeah… He heard you were skipping practice today… Are you really okay? If it’s too much, just say so. I can let him know.”

It stank. Kim Haram’s bank balance, the state of this dorm, and now this…

It all smelled like a major clue.

This kind of fishy event doesn’t just come out of nowhere.

“No, it’s fine. I’ll go. Sounds like it might be important.”

“…Oh? Really?”

Woo Taeyoon looked at me, clearly surprised.

“Well… then get ready and come out front. I’ve already started the car.”

He left the room first, and I followed shortly after.

As I got into the car, Director Woo stepped on the accelerator and chuckled.

“If I didn’t know better, I’d believe you just came from practice.”

“Haha. Do I really look the part?”

I was still wearing the training set I had on earlier—just tossed on a cap before heading out.

Guess that was a bit much, huh? This guy’s got a real eye for nitpicking.

Director Woo shook his head with a small laugh.

“Nah. Actually, it suits you—feels very idol-like.”

A stretch of silence followed as we drove.

Ugh, this is awkward… Say something, will you?

Just as I was thinking that—

“Haram. You’re still buying lottery tickets these days, right?”

I flinched without realizing it at the mention of the lottery.

“Yeah, well… I guess so.”

Director Woo’s expression turned surprisingly serious upon hearing my reply.

What is it with this company? Why does everyone get so serious the second the lottery comes up?

At least it seemed like he didn’t know that Kim Haram had actually won a $1.5 billion jackpot.

Judging by Choi Woojin’s reaction earlier too, it seems he hasn’t told anyone else either.

Director Woo didn’t say anything more after that, and we soon arrived at the company.

The company unexpectedly occupied an entire floor of a nice, respectable building.

Then why is the dorm such a dump, huh?

We stopped in front of the CEO’s office. Director Woo knocked on the door.

“Sir, it’s Woo Taeyoon. I’ve brought Haram with me.”

“Oh, yeah! Come in, come in!”

The door opened—and the moment our eyes met, the uneasy feeling inside me hardened into certainty.

He was dressed in things that were clearly beyond his means—expensive brands and high-end accessories.

He wore a friendly smile, but it didn’t feel real at all.

“So, Haram! Sorry to drag you out while you’re resting!”

And most importantly, what just appeared right in front of my eyes was—Window.

[<Character Info>]

Name: Jo Jungjae
Age: 43
Position: CEO of Herb Entertainment
Traits: – Wage Defaulter (Special, Active)
– Hypocrite (Rare, Active)
– Exploitative Boss (Rare, Active)

[View detailed stats and info (Open)]

What the hell? I’ve never even heard of traits this trashy before.

President Jo, who had been staring at me with that infuriatingly smug smile, gestured to Director Woo.

“Ah, Director Woo, would you step outside for a bit? I’d like to have a private word with Haram.”

“…Yes, sir.”

Director Woo looked like he didn’t like the idea, but left the office anyway.

President Jo gestured for me to sit, and I took a seat on the sofa, internally switching to high alert.

No question about it. Whatever’s coming next is gonna be absolute bullshit.

“Haram, you’ve been working really hard. I’ve always felt bad that I haven’t been able to give you proper settlements. You know that, right?”

Right on cue.

The hell you’re sorry. No matter how bad the settlements were, how does it make sense that there’s only 230,000 won in her account?

Back when Kim Haram was active in Clover, they shot dozens of commercials as a group—easily.

“But what can you do? Thanks to your hard work, the company’s still running, and your younger teammates can keep training. Just don’t take it all too negatively, okay? I’m really grateful, Haram.”

Bullshit.

My anger surged instantly, rising like fire to the top of my head.

The other trainees—they were nothing more than hostages.

The moment Kim Haram tries to ask for more—tries to get what he deserves—they’ll all lose their shot at their dreams.

You’re using a bunch of kids and their dreams as leverage?

And I was certain now: not even all the money was going to those trainees.

If the money Haram earned had really gone to support them, then their dorm wouldn’t be in such a miserable state.

Even Choi Woojin, whom I had just briefly run into, didn’t look all that well.

And to think… a scumbag like this could still be running a talent agency in this day and age.

I was so busy trying to suppress my anger that I hadn’t said a word. Maybe the bastard took my silence as agreement, because he kept going.

“But Haram…”

I barely managed to open my mouth in response. How do I bring this asshole down? My mind was racing, trying to find a way—

“When we talked last time about the lottery money… Have you thought about how you want to use it?”

The moment those words left his mouth, I felt a chill run down my spine. My eyes snapped to him.

Greed, plain and unfiltered, was written all over his face.

Those eyes, wrinkled and glistening with hunger.

That mouth, like it reeked of rot.

“…Excuse me?”

Fuck… What the hell did you do, Kim Haram?

A cold sweat trickled down my back.